Well tried young man!I have been playing for over 40 years and am still mostly stuck in the old basic riffs and licks of my times.Theory is good for sure,but I've always believed that feel is paramount for a good solo.Listen closely to Slashes feel on that tune,as that is what really made his lead break really stand out.It could be that the recorded version was an edited compilation of a few takes on his part,but it sure sounds great.I find that I express better when I keep my tone fairly dry reverb/delay wise..forces me to wrench the sound out a bit more.You did fine,keep plugging at it!

Regards,
Tony C